Jack' o lanterns and crows by moonlight

"The Mouse Lantern"
ACEO 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches.
For sale HERE

A couple of ACEO's to get me back into the swing of painting. I am just thrilled with the vibrancy of colour my new paints give.
I can't believe how this term has flown by, and I have struggled to get any of my own work in. That is the trouble with working from home - it is too easy to put work off till another day, especially at this time of year, when preparations for winter are so time consuming, both inside and out. Still, the rain has come now, the harvest is in, my hay is all packed in the barn, the horses rugs are sorted out and mended ready for use, the cupboard is packed with preserves, the wood pile is still very low, but my husband is on the case. I think I am nearly there!

"Pride"
ACEO 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
for sale HERE

Black Birds and Black Berries

'Gluttony'

ACEO ( 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches)
(that is smaller than shown in the picture here!)

I took time out of jam - making today to work on this little miniature painting (couldn't resist painting fruit though!). I LOVE my new paints, the colour is beautifully saturated, and flows perfectly. I got rather bogged down in the detail on this, but it was lovely to be working again!
I fancy working on a set depicting the seven deadly sins, and there is a matching cat picture at the sketch stage. This one has just been put on sale here.

Oh, and I keep 'losing' blogs that I follow. Is this happening to anyone else?

Illustration Friday "Idle"

The school holidays are well and truly here! My house seems to be bursting with children, my sofa's are in danger of collapsing from the amount of jumping on them that occurred while it pours with rain, and my studio has been commandeered by my middle daughter - I can barely get through the door because of her creative explosion. So I huddled myself on a stool in the kitchen, between the phone and the washing up, and got out my smallest set of paints. There wasn't space to work on anything but miniatures, so here are a pair of ACEO's. They are my submission for this week's illustration Friday topic : "Idle"
A rather loose association, I admit, but the wish to avoid being idle is what prompted it!

If a man devotes himself to art, much evil is avoided that happens otherwise if one is idle.
Albrecht Durer

An ACEO

"Tiny Wings"
ACEO ( 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches)

see listing here


Pheww! You know those weeks you get, when it seems like all the bills get thrown at you at once? Well, it's been one of those. It doesn't help that I have been painting 'portfolio work' or 'exhibition work' for the last 2 or 3 months, which means that I have had no paintings for sale. Really I suppose I should offer the transformations paintings for sale, but I think they will work really well for an exhibition. I can visualise them framed in little box frames, a line of them round the walls at about chest height, with my larger paintings above. Ideally, I'd like to have about 20 of them!
Anyway, due to all the bills, I thought I'd better pause, and paint an ACEO for sale! This one is listed on Ebay.

Appaloosa ACEO

'Stars and Spots'
ACEO ( 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches)
Watercolour painting

I painted an ACEO yesterday - it's amazing how quickly you get out of the habit of working in miniature. I found it quite a struggle to paint so small! After much deliberation, I decided to list it on ebay. Ebay as a venue annoys the crap out of me at the moment, but is IS where the majority of the ACEO collectors are, and being realistic, I do need to sell some work, as that large vet's bill arrived (it was even bigger than I imagined!) and my car is on it's last legs.

At Last, some new paintings. ( albeit small!)

"The Turning Of The Year"

Well, I finally managed to paint a pair of ACEOs! I had forgotten how time consuming these miniatures are! They both measure 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, plus a small border to make framing easier. I have put them up on ebay for a 5 day auction.

"The Doorkeeper"

And, I think I have finally finished the Sky Pirates Illustration! I will take a fresh look at it tomorrow to make sure, and then post a picture.

New Year Giveaway!

Happy New Year!

I've been remiss in my blogging while the children have been off school for the last couple of weeks, but as I haven't been painting, I thought there were only a limited amount of frosty walk photos people would want to see! Instead I have been enjoying time with my family - my husband has had some rare time off work - and precious things , such as riding our ponies, and reading books, and the joy of browsing new seed catalogues and planning how this year we really are going to have a shot at self sufficiency. ( I say this every year, but then struggle to put enough time in)

I also made the decision to close my Ebay store. Fees are so high, and Etsy is just a so much nicer place to be. I will still list originals on Ebay as I have some wonderful customers there, but will keep the whole print inventory on Etsy.

So, for the last couple of days I have been making new ACEO prints ( namely the rabbits above), and have several to list. I make them in limited editions of 9, and back them with stiff coloured cardstock, and then trim to exact size ( 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches) before popping into a snug acid free sleeve. They are titled, numbered and signed on the back. It is pretty time consuming , but I love the way that backing them with coloured card makes them look so much more substantial - little treasures in their own right.

And finally, that brings me to the giveaway!
I am going to give away a set of 10 ACEO's - perfect for someone just starting their collection, or ideal to give as little gifts to friends. There will be a choice of three 'themes'. The winner can choose either a 'CROW' collection, a 'FANTASY ' collection (fairies and unicorns/pegasus) or a 'HORSE' collection ( non- fantasy horses).
It will be a draw, open to anyone , whichever country you live in, with just one condition of entry: You need to check out the ACEOs in my Etsy store, and choose 1 favourite which fits in one of the three collections. Leave a comment after this post, including the title of your chosen ACEO. If you win, I will send you the ACEO of your choice, and 9 others to fit the theme. Hope that makes sense! If you don't have a blogger account, you can leave an anonymous comment, with your name - just remember to check back and see if you have won!
I will draw a random name from the hat on Sunday 11th January, 9 o'clockish UK time!

Happy New Year!

In the Bleak Midwinter...

The icy nights have rendered the landscape breathtakingly beautiful. We woke this morning to a freezing fog just lifting. It is as if we lived inside a glass dome, which has suddenly and silently shattered into millions and millions of tiny shards, and softly rained down upon us.

I have been working away, making some new sets of ACEO limited edition prints . I hope to have them finished and ready to list tomorrow. The goats are done, but the new crow ones are delayed, as I ran out of best quality paper, and am awaiting a new delivery.

Christmas ACEOs

" SNOW IS FALLING"

"CHRISTMAS CROW"

Busy , busy , busy! I've commissions to finish by the end of the month, but I've been working like a woman possesed all week, and they are well on the way now. I did find time to paint a couple of little ACEOs, which I have listed on ebay.

We have all recovered from the rat incident, except Magpie, who has moved in to the kitchen corner and spends her time staring hard at the cd collection, no doubt hoping for a second moment of glory!

I have been tagged again, by Akiko Watanabe and Annette from Fairyshoes.

I thought I would come up with another 7 facts, but I wont pass the tag on this time. There seems to be a tagging frenzy on the blogosphere at the moment!

1. Sea green is my favourite colour, but I can't wear it - it makes me look horrid!

2. I spent 9 months in Penang, Malaysia, and Bangalore, India, working as a volunteer at animal sanctuaries. A completely eye-opening experience - wonderful and miserable all at the same time, and I came home with very different views than those I went out there with!

3. I am learning to play the violin! (well, that is not quite right - I have always wanted to play the fiddle, and finally bought an old one earlier this year. I have a 'teach yourself' book and cd, but I don't have time to get them out as much as I would like)

4. When I was a teenager, my pony got stuck in a bog on Dartmoor. It was a blanket bog, and she broke the surface and went through to half way up her belly, though I was light enough to stand on the surface. She struggled briefly , and gave up. That was a truly scary moment. I saw the resignation in her eyes, and realised she was just going to let herself sink. We were miles from anywhere, and the only thing I could do was hit her. I shouted and screamed, and smacked her from behind , beside myself with panic, and eventually she gave an almighty struggle and thrashed her way to the edge ( only a couple of metres away).

5. I love white chocolate toblerone.

6. I once trekked out to see the mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park ( Then Zaire, but now the Democratic Republic of Congo)

7. The first band I ever saw was The Pixies when I was 15. It opened up a whole new world!

PS. Don't forget the print giveaway doesn't close till Sunday night ( UK time) so there is still time to enter! Add your comments on the IF Pretend post!

Sewing Machine Days

"Queen of The Pumpkin Patch" - the only little ACEO I've had a chance to paint this week, mainly because I've been busy sewing for my sister. She has a fab kids clothes company, Blow-Pipe, which uses vintage and recycled fabrics to make great jackets and hats. I occasionally help out at times like this when she has more orders to complete than she can manage. I quite like it - it makes a nice change for me, and keeps my hand in cutting and piecing. We are both lucky that our mother was a textile artist and dressmaker, and we were taught to sew almost from the cradle, and were both making or adapting our clothes from our teens. It is one of the most useful and versatile skills I have, and I am extremely grateful for it. My sister went on to study and get a degree from the London College of Fashion, while I opted for ceramics, but that early grounding has left me confident cutting patterns and making clothes ( or curtains , or costumes, or anything else that might need creating!)

This weeks it has been hats - dozens of them in beautifully soft coloured fleece. The best part is going through the huge vintage fabric collection, and choosing linings for each individual hat. It's great - no two are the same, and I get to put together all sorts of beautiful combinations.

This is my all time favourite jacket - those vintage poppies are sumptuous. If there had been enough fabric for an adult jacket I would have been swiping it!

The finished collection! Most of these ones are intended for Wonderworks, a really exciting annual craft exhibition / sale in Chagford, on Saturday the 22nd and Sunday 23rd of November.

Illustration Friday - LATE

Mavis was bicycling along the lane to the Post Office, when a small bird suddenly flew out in front of her, causing her to swerve, and spill her packages in the road. By the time she had picked them all up, and adjusted her shopping basket, she was too late for the morning post.

I originally had bigger plans for this weeks Illustration Friday , but then reality set in, and I had to acknowledge the fact that I have deadlines and commissions waiting, and must stop procrastinating. So, I just did a little bit of procrastinating , and came up with this mini illustration, entitled " Mavis was startled on her way to the Post Office "

And another offering, a little gothic portrait to get you in the mood for halloween, called "The Haunting of Mrs Wilkins". Mrs Wilkins could always hear the voices behind her, the incessant whispering of her husbands two previous wives - constantly speculating on the likely manner of the 3rd Mrs Wilkins demise. Both are for sale on Etsy :)

Prizes, a Poppy, and Painted Shoes

Okay, first things first! The Blog Giveaway was drawn tonight, and the first name out of the pumpkin bowl was Maggie Summers! Check out her great blog A Latte A Day . Maggie, you need to let me know your snail mail address. You can email me at dbarlowart@aol.com

Congratulations! You know, that was really good fun to do - though I feel terribly guilty about people who didn't win. Thankyou so much everyone for taking the time to leave a comment. I think I will make this a regular thing, maybe monthly?

Secondly, here is a quick ACEO for this week, entitled Luna Hare. Up for auction on ebay later tonight.



And finally - the real reason I haven't done much work this week! I'd been having one of 'those' weeks - you know the sort, where everything that can go wrong does, culminating in a shopping trip to Exeter. I haven't been shopping for about six months, partly because there is never a penny to spare, and partly because I hate shopping, with a passion. Nevertheless, the girls REALLY needed some tights for school, so I steeled myself for a trip. Once tights were sorted, I wandered round a bit, as I have had a burning desire for a pair of red shoes for a couple of years. I saw a couple of pairs, just the shade I wanted, but at £60 each, I just couldn't justify it. I got steadily grumpier throughout the day, and came home and threw everything out of my wardrobe, all the old clothes that I don't wear because they no longer fit, or I just don't like them, and then Da Da! I found a pair of handmade shoes that I no longer wear because they were a rather unpleasant shade of yellow. Well, a trip to Bowdens ( the best shop in the world - but that must wait for another post) turned up a cherry red pot of shoe polish, and an hour later, with as much shoe polish on my hands as on my shoes , I have a pair in just the shade I want! This has led to a flurry of mending and making do, and upcycling old clothes.

A rummage through my fabric boxes has provided a gorgeous selection of fabrics, and I have added a strip of this beautiful striped fabric to the bottom of a red knee length skirt (which made me look even shorter and squatter than usual) to make a great full length skirt. I also dyed a nasty grey parka a lovely chocolate brown ( had to boil it up in my enamel bread bin as none of my pans were big enough), and I'm now going to jazz it up with these fabrics. My absolute favourite is the printed needlecord in the centre which I got at a garage sale in the village. So this might mean not much painting for a few days. But you know, there are times when a girl's just GOT to have some new clothes!

Another polar pegasus

Arctic Night

Rosy Dawn
I've only managed to get a couple of ACEOs painted, as most of the weekend was spent making a Norman maiden costume for my daughter, for a school trip to Totnes castle today! She is looking more like an elf from 'The Lord of the Rings' in this picture. :)

Feeling Halloweeny

Quick post today to show you my latest ACEOs. I have listed them on ebay tonight. A return to my favourite characters, the crows!

Gorgeous Goats!

I managed to get into the studio for a couple of hours today - here's a quick peek of a new ACEO on ebay . I just LOVE painting goats at the moment. This girl is so cool (in real life!) She looks so sleek and elegant, as if she has kohl rimmed eyes.
Most of the week I have been busy sorting out fencing and stacking hay in the loft - what a horrible itchy job that is. Still, we get the last load in on Saturday, which should be it for the winter. I even managed to get all the children out for a ride together. Shame they can't all stand still at the same time!

So many rabbits!

I had time for a quick visit to the Miniature Pony Centre this weekend, my favourite place to take reference photos! This is a miniature Shetland Pony Stud, just down the road from us, which is now open as a tourist attraction. I worked there as kid, in the school holidays, and now 20 years later, take my children there. My main source of rabbit inspiration!

This is a rabbit mid - yawn!

Sheep, sheep, and an odd alpaca

Woo Hooo! Chagford Show was a great day out, as always. There were masses of entries in the childrens crafts classes, but Maddy got a third place with her witch ( thank goodness - she would have been furious if that one hadn't won a rosette), and Marlene, to my delight, came second in her class ( Heritage Dartmoor Pony), despite me not wearing a hat! She behaved impeccably, all day long, without batting an eyelid at the traffic, the marching band, and even the heavy horse display taking place in the ring with her while doing her class. Jonathan Waterers beautiful Shire horses demonstrated chain logging to the crowds, followed by a flat out gallop through obstacles by another pair.

The sun finally came out after weeks of rain, and you couldn't ask for a more picturesque setting, in the valley below Castle Drogo

I managed a quick peek at the rest of the show. I especially love the sheep lines, with the many different breeds . This was the biggest sheep I have ever seen!